The Latin Recording Academy® announces 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® nominees

News

The Latin Recording Academy® announces 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® nominees

Latin GRAMMYs/Sep 24, 2019 - 01:30 PM

Paula Arenas, Rubén Blades, Andrés Calamaro, Fonseca, Luis Fonsi, Rosalía, Alejandro Sanz, Ximena Sariñana, Tony Succar, and Sebastián Yatra vie for Album Of The Year

The Latin Academy welcomes Aitana, Burning Caravan, Cami, Fer Casillas, Chipi Chacón,
Elsa y Elmar, Greeicy, Juan Ingaramo, Paulo Londra, and Nella as Best New Artist nominees

MIAMI (SEPT. 24, 2019) — The Latin Recording Academy® has announced the nominees for the 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, the preeminent international honor celebrating excellence in Latin music and the only peer-presented Latin music accolade. The Album Of The Year category is composed of a diverse group of artists including Paula Arenas (Visceral), Rubén Blades (Paraíso Road Gang), Andrés Calamaro (Cargar La Suerte), Fonseca (Agustín), Luis Fonsi (Vida), Rosalía (El Mal Querer), Alejandro Sanz (#ELDISCO), Ximena Sariñana (¿Dónde Bailarán Las Niñas?), Tony Succar (Mas De Mi), and Sebastián Yatra (Fantasía).

"The Latin Recording Academy is privileged to see so many talented and diverse artists join the milestone 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards season," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "Since our inception, our international membership continues to be our driving force in the pursuit of excellence. Whether they are a sound engineer, a performer, a songwriter, or a music arranger—regardless of their gender, age, national identity, or musical genre—the nominees are the product of a voting process where every vote counts. Latin music continues to grow internationally and we're excited to celebrate the music that unites us all."

The Latin GRAMMY Awards are voted on by The Latin Recording Academy's international membership body of music creators, who represent all genres and creative disciplines, including recording artists, songwriters, musicians, producers, and mixing and studio engineers. This year's nominees were selected from approximately 15,500 submissions across 50 categories, and reflect a diverse range of established artists and newcomers who released recordings during the eligibility period (June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019).

The final round of voting to determine Latin GRAMMY® winners will begin Oct. 3. Winners will be revealed by The Latin Recording Academy on Nov. 14 at the 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards' Premiere and telecast ceremonies. The telecast will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on the Univision Network from 8–11 p.m. ET/PT.

Following is a list of the nominations in some of the 50 categories. They feature an array of musical genres, as well as some of the most prominent names and brightest newcomers in Latin music. For the complete list of nominees, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

 

Record Of The Year:

"Parecen Viernes" — Marc Anthony

"Verdades Afiladas" — Andrés Calamaro

"Ahí Ahí" — Vicente García

"Kitipun" — Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

"Querer Mejor" — Juanes Featuring Alessia Cara

"La Plata" — Juanes Featuring Lalo Ebratt

"Aute Couture" — Rosalía

"Mi Persona Favorita" — Alejandro Sanz & Camila Cabello

"No Tengo Nada" — Alejandro Sanz

"Cobarde" — Ximena Sariñana

 

Song Of The Year:

"Calma" — Pedro Capó, Gabriel Edgar González Pérez & George Noriega, songwriters (Pedro Capó)

"Desconstrução" — Tiago Iorc, songwriter (Tiago Iorc)

"El País" — Rubén Blades, songwriter (Rubén Blades)

"Kitipun" — Juan Luis Guerra, songwriter (Juan Luis Guerra 4.40)

"Mi Persona Favorita" — Camila Cabello & Alejandro Sanz, songwriters (Alejandro Sanz & Camila Cabello)

"No Tengo Nada" — Alejandro Sanz, songwriter (Alejandro Sanz)

"Quédate" — Kany García & Tommy Torres, songwriters (Kany García & Tommy Torres)

"Querer Mejor" — Rafael Arcaute, Alessia Cara, Camilo Echeverry, Juanes, Mauricio Montaner, Ricardo Montaner & Tainy, songwriters (Juanes Featuring Alessia Cara)

"Un Año" — Mauricio Rengifo, Andrés Torres & Sebastián Yatra, songwriters (Sebastián Yatra Featuring Reik)

"Ven" — Fonseca, songwriter (Fonseca)

 

Best Pop Song:

"Bailar" — Leonel García, songwriter (Leonel García)

"Buena Para Nada" — Paula Arenas, Luigi Castillo & Santiago Castillo, songwriters (Paula Arenas)

"Mi Persona Favorita" — Camila Cabello & Alejandro Sanz, songwriters (Alejandro Sanz & Camila Cabello)

"Pienso En Tu Mirá" — Antón Álvarez Alfaro, El Guincho & Rosalía, songwriters (Rosalía)

"Ven" — Fonseca, songwriter (Fonseca)

 

Best Urban Fusion/Performance:

"Tenemos Que Hablar" — Bad Bunny

"Calma (Remix)" — Pedro Capó & Farruko

"Pa' Olvidarte (Remix)" — ChocQuibtown, Zion & Lennox, Farruko Featuring Manuel Turizo

"Con Calma" — Daddy Yankee Featuring Snow

"Otro Trago" — Sech Featuring Darell

 

Best Urban Music Album:

Kisses — Anitta

X 100PRE — Bad Bunny

Mi Movimiento — De La Ghetto

19 — Feid

Sueños — Sech

 

Best Urban Song:

"Baila Baila Baila" — Ozuna & Vicente Saavedra, songwriters (Ozuna)

"Caliente" — J Balvin, René Cano, De La Ghetto & Alejandro Ramirez, songwriters (De La Ghetto Featuring J Balvin)

"Con Altura" — J Balvin, Mariachi Budda, Frank Dukes, El Guincho, Alejandro Ramirez & Rosalía, songwriters (Rosalía & J Balvin Featuring El Guincho)

"Otro Trago" — Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Kevin Mauricio Jimenez Londoño, Bryan Lezcano Chaverra, Josh Mendez, Sech & Jorge Valdes, songwriters (Sech Featuring Darell)

"Pa' Olvidarte" — René Cano, ChocQuibtown, Kevyn Cruz Moreno, Juan Diego Medina Vélez, Andrés David Restrepo, Mateo Tejada Giraldo, Andrés Uribe Marín, Juan Vargas & Doumbia Yohann, songwriters (ChocQuibTown)

 

Best Alternative Music Album:

Latinoamericana — Alex Anwandter

Discutible — Babasónicos

Bach — Bandalos Chinos

Prender Un Fuego — Marilina Bertoldi

Norma — Mon Laferte

 

Best Traditional Tropical Album:

Andrés Cepeda Big Band (En Vivo) — Andrés Cepeda

Vereda Tropical — Olga Cerpa y Mestisay

Lo Nuestro — Yelsy Heredia

A Journey Through Cuban Music — Aymée Nuviola

La Llave Del Son — Septeto Acarey

 

Best Singer-Songwriter Album:

Acústica — Albita

Contra El Viento — Kany García

Amor Presente — Leonel García

Algo Ritmos — Kevin Johansen

Intuición — Gian Marco

 

Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album:

Mi Persona Preferida — El Bebeto

Sigue La Dinastía...  — Alex Fernández

Más Romántico Que Nunca — Vicente Fernández

Indestructible — Flor De Toloache

Ahora — Christian Nodal

 

Best Norteño Album:

Por Más — Bronco

Las Canciones De La Abuela — Buyuchek

Mitad Y Mitad — Calibre 50

Percepción — Intocable

Amo — La Maquinaria Norteña

 

Best Long Form Music Video:

"Anatomía De Un Éxodo" — Mastodonte

"Piazzolla, Los Años Del Tiburón" — Astor Piazzolla

"Hotel De Los Encuentros" — Draco Rosa

"Lo Que Fui Es Lo Que Soy" — Alejandro Sanz

"Déjame Quererte" — Carlos Vives

 

Disclaimer: This release has been prepared with label copy information and recordings provided by labels and Academy members. Modifications to the official nominations list may occur based on further review of the information provided.

For more information and the latest news, please visit the official Latin Recording Academy website at LatinGRAMMY.com (#LatinGRAMMY).

Facebook: LatinGRAMMYs | Twitter: @LatinGRAMMYs | Instagram: @LatinGRAMMYs

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ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community either directly or through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

The Lippin Group on behalf of The Latin Recording Academy:

Elina Adut

EAdut@lippingroup.com

323.965.1990

 

The Latin Recording Academy:

Iveliesse Malavé

Iveliesse.Malave@grammy.com

305.576.0036

The Latin Recording Academy® Announces Its 2026 Special Awards Recipients

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The Latin Recording Academy® Announces Its 2026 Special Awards Recipients

Latin GRAMMYs/Jun 30, 2026 - 01:00 PM

This year’s honorees are Alaska, Omar Alfanno, Francisco Céspedes, Lila Downs, Daniela Mercury and Chichí Peralta

Click here for additional images

MIAMI (JUNE 30, 2026) — The Latin Recording Academy® announced today that Alaska, Francisco Céspedes, Lila Downs, Daniela Mercury and Chichí Peralta will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Omar Alfanno will be awarded the Trustees Award, as part of this year’s Special Awards ceremony.

“It is a great privilege to honor these living legends—an exceptional group whose influence transcends generations and genres—who continue to enrich and redefine our musical heritage,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “We are delighted to celebrate their extraordinary careers, along with the recipient of the Latin Music Educator Award, during the 27th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Week.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to Latin music and its communities. The Trustees Award is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to Latin music over their careers, in ways other than performance. Both distinctions are voted on by The Latin Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees. The honorees will be celebrated on November 9 during Latin GRAMMY Week in Las Vegas.

For the second consecutive year, the Latin Music Educator Award winner will be honored at the ceremony. This award, presented in partnership with the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®, honors an exceptional educator in the global music community who has made a significant impact by integrating Latin music into their curriculum. As part of the award, the recipient’s school music program will receive a musical instrument donation valued at up to $10,000 to support music education. Submissions for this award are open until August 3, 2026. To apply and view guidelines, click here.

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees:

Alaska

The bewitching strain of electronic pop anchored on majestic melodies and provocative lyrics found in Alaska one of its most iconic trendsetters. As part of the bands Alaska y Dinarama and Fangoria, the singer was always ahead of her time. Born in Mexico City in 1963, Olvido Gara Jova moved to Spain at a young age and began her musical career with Kaka de Luxe, one of the first bands of the Spanish punk movement. In 1979, she founded Alaska y los Pegamoides, which four years later evolved into Alaska y Dinarama. Hits such as “Ni Tú Ni Nadie” (1984) and “A Quién Le Importa” (1986) made history with their extraordinary melodic sophistication – an element that would also appear in the sumptuous synth-pop of Fangoria. Alaska remains active in recording studios and concert halls across Spain and Latin America.

Francisco Céspedes

To discover the musical worldview of Francisco Céspedes entails venturing into a nocturnal soundscape where the elegance of jazz walks hand in hand with the warmth of bolero. Born in Cuba and established in Mexico, Francisco Fabián Céspedes Rodríguez transcends his Latin roots with a cosmopolitan sound that found devoted followers all over the world. He abandoned his initial vocation as a doctor to devote himself to music, and moved to Mexico City in 1992, where he wrote songs for artists like Luis Miguel, and collaborated with Alejandro Sanz and Plácido Domingo. In 1997, his debut album, Vida Loca, established him as an icon of romantic balladry with the melancholy mood of the title track. Since then, he has been nominated for a Latin GRAMMY® several times, and released many albums, including one with Armando Manzanero. He tours regularly in Europe and Latin America, and released an album earlier this year on which he collaborated with the late Pablo Milanés.

Lila Downs

One of the most transcendent ambassadors of Mexican culture, Lila Downs has spent the past thirty years exploring the fertile creative bridge that unites her identity and roots. The daughter of a Mixteca mother and an American father, Ana Lila Downs Sánchez was born in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, in 1968. From her very first album, Ofrenda, she showcased a restless creative personality and visionary talent for experimentation and daring musical fusions. In Downs’ creative universe, her stunning vocal range moves comfortably among the velvety textures of jazz, healing cumbia grooves, and the emotional exuberance of bolero. The winner of six Latin GRAMMYs® and a GRAMMY®, Downs released Cambias Mi Mundo in 2026, an album that finds her at a transformative creative peak.

Daniela Mercury

Daniela Mercury began her career revolutionizing the Brazilian music scene. During her inaugural performance in São Paulo in 1992, she literally shook the foundation of the building, forcing the event to be momentarily interrupted. A pioneer of the new Brazilian genre of axé, the singer and dancer from Salvador, Bahia, brought her powerful voice and precise movements to stages all over the world. Her song “O Canto Da Cidade” became a Brazilian music anthem that has endured for over three decades. With more than 20 million records sold and 26 albums – including the masterpiece Feijão Com Arroz (1998) – her innovative fusion of styles is informed by an expansive mosaic of rhythms and colors. Throughout her career she has continued to expand the limits of her sound while offering memorable concerts, including the live album Balé Mulato, which garnered a Latin GRAMMY in 2007.

Chichí Peralta

Chichí Peralta — musician, singer/songwriter, composer, arranger and producer — is one of the most influential figures in contemporary music from the Dominican Republic. Born in Santo Domingo, he discovered percussion at the age of four, beginning a career that has spanned over four decades, marked by innovation and artist versatility. The founder of Chichí Peralta & Son Familia, he developed a unique sound that blends tradition, modernity and Caribbean identity, enriching Latin American music and showcasing Dominican culture on international stages across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The winner of a Latin GRAMMY in 2001, Peralta has recorded two of his productions with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road and amassed a discography that reflects his ongoing artistic quest, while contributing to shaping future generations of musicians.

2026 Trustees Award Honoree:

Omar Alfanno

The composer of timeless classics of Latin music such as “El Gran Varón,” “A Puro Dolor,” “Y Hubo Alguien” and “Amores Como El Nuestro,” Omar Alfanno transformed deeply human narratives into songs that are an essential part of the Latin American songbook. Born in Santiago de Veraguas, Panama, in 1957, his songs have been recorded by more than 500 artists, including Gilberto Santa Rosa, Jerry Rivera, Marc Anthony and Shakira. His work contributed to defining the sound of contemporary tropical music, while his narratives and melodic sensibility have served as a reference point for many composers over the past five decades. A member of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, and winner of a Latin GRAMMY, Alfanno continues to hone his craft, guiding new talent and promoting musical education among young people with limited financial means in Panama through the Fundación Omar Alfanno.

Alex Hadad will serve as executive producer of the event, working under the direction of The Latin Recording Academy’s production team led by Ayleen Figueras.

For the latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), X (@LatinGRAMMYs) or Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), and join the conversation using our official hashtag #LatinGRAMMY on all popular social media platforms.

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ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Latin Recording Academy® is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Iveliesse Malavé

ive@grammy.com

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Opens Applications For Its 2026 Latin Music Research And Preservation Grant Program

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The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Opens Applications For Its 2026 Latin Music Research And Preservation Grant Program

Latin GRAMMYs/Jun 18, 2026 - 01:00 PM

Four talented music institutions, nonprofit organizations, musicologists and researchers will receive a total of $20,000 for research and preservation of Latin music

Deadline to apply is August 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET

MIAMI (JUNE 18, 2026) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced that applications are now open for its 2026 Latin Music Research and Preservation Grant Program. This program provides grants to support music institutions, nonprofit organizations, musicologists and researchers worldwide who are committed to preserving and advancing the legacy of Latin music through research and archival initiatives.

This year, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation will award a total of four grants as follows:

  • Two (2) Research Grants for a maximum amount of $5,000 each, funding one project focused on historical research, folklore and anthropology of a Latin music genre.

  • Two (2) Preservation Grants for a maximum of $5,000 each, supporting one project aiming to archive and preserve Latin music heritage.

“The research and preservation of Latin music is essential to honoring its cultural impact and these grants ensure future generations remain connected to the stories, traditions and communities that shaped it,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation.

Since its inception in 2015, the program has awarded more than $285,000 in grants to support projects, one of which received both a Latin GRAMMY® and GRAMMY®.

To apply, view guidelines, and learn about past project winners please click here (the materials can be submitted in English, Spanish or Portuguese). The deadline to apply is Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. If you have any additional questions, please email LGCF@grammy.com and/or visit http://www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org/en.

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ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. For over a decade, the Foundation has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $15 million with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.alberto@grammy.com

Silvestre Dangond Joins Latin GRAMMY In The Schools™ Program Benefiting Students In Bogotá, Colombia

News

Silvestre Dangond Joins Latin GRAMMY In The Schools™ Program Benefiting Students In Bogotá, Colombia

Latin GRAMMYs/May 15, 2026 - 01:45 PM

The program expands access to music education through a donation of instruments to two local schools

Click here to download photos

Credit: Gabriel Aponte/Getty Images for the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA (MAY 15, 2026) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®, in partnership with Latin GRAMMY® winner and GRAMMY® nominee Silvestre Dangond, hosted a Latin GRAMMY In The Schools™ program in Bogotá, on Thursday, May 14. The program included a donation of musical instruments to two local schools—Colegio Enrique Olaya Herrera and Fundación Sendero de Acordeones de Riohacha—and students participated in a meet and greet and conversation with Dangond and accordion player, José Juan Camilo.

Dangond continues to support the growth and development of vallenato and previously sponsored two Latin Music Research and Preservation Grants for the Foundation dedicated to funding the folkloric music genre from Colombia.

“I am so proud to be able to support emerging young talent, especially in a country like Colombia, where music is a fundamental part of our identity,” said Dangond. “I see myself reflected in these students—in their dreams, in their passion—and I hope this experience reminds them that, with dedication and a love for music, anything is possible.”

“We thank Silvestre Dangond for his partnership and continued support of our shared mission to nurture future Latin music creators,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “His generosity today created what we hope is an experience that these students will never forget and further ensures the legacy of Latin music.”

Latin GRAMMY In The Schools is an educational program that inspires students ages five-to-18 through music education and mentorship. The program informs and connects music students with professionals in the Latin music industry, supporting educational music departments that face financial limitations. The Foundation invites renowned musicians, performing artists, and sound engineers to share their personal stories and experiences with students, highlighting the effort it takes to overcome career obstacles. The goal is for students to learn to optimize the educational opportunities presented to them, giving them an advantage and strong academic preparation to be able to compete in the music industry.

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ABOUT SILVESTRE DANGOND:

Silvestre Dangond is a world-renowned artist from Colombia, who is especially known for globalizing the vallenato genre. In his nearly 25 years in the industry, Dangond has won multiple Latin GRAMMYs®, including Best Cumbia/Vallenato Album in 2025 for his latest LP El Último Baile, which also earned him a GRAMMY® nomination. Dangond is preparing for his fourth Estadio El Campín show in less than two years in Bogotá, where he will present “El Baile de Todos Tour,” an international production poised to mark another major milestone in his musical journey. With confirmed dates in key markets such as Argentina, Peru, Chile, Spain, and other cities across Europe, Dangond is bringing vallenato to increasingly wider audiences and solidifying himself as one of the leading figures in contemporary Latin music. He has collaborated with artists including Nicky Jam, Natti Natasha, Carín León, Emilia, Sebastián Yatra, Fonseca and Carlos Vives, and he often works with initiatives in support of the next generation of vallenato artists.

ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. For over a decade, the Foundation has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $15 million with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors.For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.alberto@grammy.com

Daddy Yankee Named 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person Of The Year™

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Daddy Yankee Named 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person Of The Year™

Latin GRAMMYs/Apr 07, 2026 - 01:00 PM

The artist will be honored at a special gala on November 11 in Las Vegas, during Latin GRAMMY® Week

Photo credit: Isaac Reyes

Click here to access the image in high resolution

MIAMI (APRIL 7, 2026)— The Latin Recording Academy® announced that multi–Latin GRAMMY® winner and multi-GRAMMY® nominee, Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, known as Daddy Yankee, will be the 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year™.

Daddy Yankee, a pioneer and driving force behind the globalization of reggaeton music, will be honored for his nearly three-decade career as a singer, songwriter and performer within the urban genre, as well as for his humanitarian efforts. His career represents an example of perseverance, resilience and creativity.

“Daddy Yankee has been a defining force in the global rise of Latin music,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “His leadership, discipline and vision opened the doors for a genre and inspired an entire generation of creators, and he remains as relevant today as ever. We are proud to honor him as our 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.”

“This recognition from The Latin Recording Academy is a dream come true. It means a lot because it represents more than just a successful career; it’s recognition of years of discipline, struggle, faith and commitment to our culture,” said Daddy Yankee. “Receiving something like this is to honor Puerto Rico, to honor all Latinos, and specifically to that entire generation that believed in our music when no one else understood it.”

From his humble beginnings in the barrios of Las Lomas and Villa Kennedy in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Daddy Yankee channeled a complex social reality—marked by violence, censorship, and exclusion—into a musical language of his own. In a context where reggaeton music was stigmatized by society, he not only defended artistry but also played a decisive role in its cultural legitimization.

The historic turning point came in 2004 with Barrio Fino, an album that redefined Latin music in the 21st century, selling over eight million copies and spending 24 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. With the global phenomenon of “Gasolina,” Daddy Yankee opened the international doors to reggaeton and popularized it among new generations. He became the first reggaeton performing artist to embark on an international tour, visiting more than 29 countries and bringing urban music to stages worldwide. Among his international hits are “Limbo,” “Con Calma,” and “Dura,” which reached number one in multiple countries.

His impact on the charts is both historic and sustained. “Despacito,” written in collaboration with Erika Ender and Luis Fonsi, marked a turning point in the music industry: 16 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, 56 weeks atop Hot Latin Songs, and more than 8.9 billion streams, establishing itself as one of the greatest musical phenomena of all time.

In 2022, Daddy Yankee announced his retirement from professional music, stating that Legendaddy would be the last album of his career, and subsequently, “La Última Vuelta World Tour” became one of the highest-grossing Latin tours in history. In his most recent phase, Daddy Yankee has developed a new creative direction focused on purpose-driven music, incorporating spiritual reflection, ethical values and personal transformation. His latest album, Lamento En Baile, includes the song “Sonríele,” which reached number one on Billboard Latin Airplay.

Daddy Yankee’s social impact is equally powerful. He is an agent of change in Puerto Rico, offering meaningful and timely social and educational programs through his foundation, and demonstrating a genuine and consistent commitment to the most vulnerable communities. In recent years, his strategic investment in sports—from the baseball team Cangrejeros de Santurce to the NBA Basketball School in Puerto Rico—confirms a legacy-driven vision focused on developing future generations of athletes.

The Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honors musicians and their artistic achievements in the Latin music industry, as well as their humanitarian efforts. Daddy Yankee will be celebrated at a private gala on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, as part of Latin GRAMMY® Week. The tribute concert will feature renditions of his renowned repertoire performed by an array of international artists and close friends. To purchase tickets, please contact: lgticketing@grammy.com.

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ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Latin Recording Academy® is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Iveliesse Malavé

ive@grammy.com

305.576.0036

For Artist Inquiries:

Nevárez Communications

mayna@nevarezpr.com